


Love Marks

by KnightDawn



Series: Fenris & Hawke [2]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Dragon Age II - Act 2, F/M, Fenris is actually a bit intimidated, Leandra POV, Leandra continues to stick her nose in Hawke's business, Mage Hawke (Dragon Age), Purple Hawke (Dragon Age), She goes to talk to Fenris about what happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-02-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:34:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22912567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnightDawn/pseuds/KnightDawn
Summary: This time was different from all the other flings her children had had before. This time, what she said would matter. The last thing she wanted to do was leave the wrong impression, that she disapproved or something - when the truth was quite the opposite.From what little she knew of him, Leandra liked Fenris.So she was very, very confused when her daughter came down the stairs that morning, face red and tear-stained. "He... he left."(Written for the 14 Days of Dragon Age Lovers - Day 13: Love Marks)
Relationships: Fenris & Leandra Hawke, Fenris/Female Hawke
Series: Fenris & Hawke [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1650376
Comments: 4
Kudos: 62





	Love Marks

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty much a direct sequel to ["Hand Holding"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22552372) and references a couple things from it.

Orana was brewing tea while Leandra ate breakfast, a routine that had become the norm since the night Mari had taken the young elven girl in. Despite things being a little strange for the first few days, the girl had adapted quickly, and now Leandra could hardly imagine living without the extra help around the house. Especially with how messy her daughter could be, always coming home covered in muck and blood and… Leandra really didn’t like to think about it.

It wasn’t unusual for Leandra to eat alone. Mari kept strange hours, always either out-and-about or sleeping in when she was taking a day off.

Leandra suspected it would be the latter this particular morning. 

Just before she’d gone out for an evening with her friends, Fenris had shown up at the door looking rather agitated - though, when Leandra was the one to answer, the poor boy had almost seemed ready to bolt. _Almost._

“Mari isn’t home yet,” Leandra said, as she opened the door a little wider for him. “But it’s raining, you should come wait inside.”

“If it’s no trouble,” he said, voice surprisingly quiet and small. Somehow, Leandra found herself reminded of Malcolm, the first few times they’d met in secret. He’d been so cautious, then - just as Fenris was, now.

“It’s fine. Please,” Leandra assured him, ushering him in toward the fireplace so he could dry off. She still didn’t know much about the young man, but the very brief talks she’d had with Mari made it clear their relationship was more than just a passing thing.

“I’m going out, but - Orana should be around, if you need anything before Mari gets in.” 

His nose had wrinkled up a bit at the mention of the girl’s name, but he nodded once as he took his coat off. She smiled wide when she saw it was a new one she’d urged Mari to get for him. “Thank you.”

“I hope the evening treats you well,” Leandra added, smiling as he made only a soft noise of affirmation before taking a seat by the fire. Perhaps one day, she’d get to sit down and have more than just a few words with him.

She came home later than intended from her outing yet again, but… this time, there were no reading lessons going on. The sounds coming from Mari’s room were quite obvious - and, well. Leandra had known it would happen eventually, and she wasn’t judging _at all_ \- but she did wish she had taken a little longer to come home.

“Oh, _yes~_ Like that... _Fenris!_ ”

_“Fasta vass!"_

Leandra had not rushed to her own room so quickly since she was a child. The extra walls and distance muffled things enough, thank the Maker, and she was so exhausted she fall asleep after doing only a little bit of light reading.

As she sipped her morning tea, now, she felt a little anxious. She wasn’t sure what to say to Mari, or… or _Fenris,_ if he was so bold to turn up wanting breakfast! 

This time was different from all the other flings her children had had before. This time, what she said would _matter._ The last thing she wanted to do was leave the wrong impression, that she disapproved or something - when the truth was quite the opposite.

From what little she knew of him, Leandra _liked_ Fenris. He seemed rough around the edges, but time would smooth that out - 

Her line of thought went out the window, however, when she heard the quiet sound of bare feet padding along the floor shortly followed by Mari herself appearing in the doorway - her nose and cheeks all red and tear-stained.

“Oh no,” Leandra said, getting up so quickly she spilled some of her tea. She rushed over to her daughter and clasped her shoulders, frowning as Mari tugged her nightgown up enough to cover up the love marks on her collarbone. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“I… I don’t know. I mean, I do know - it’s just…” She sighed and pressed her face into one of her hands, surely to hide more tears. “He - He _left,_ mother. I messed up. I… I pushed him _too far,_ and… he…”

Before Mari could say any more, Leandra pulled her into a tight embrace and sighed as she felt her daughter hug her back and begin sobbing quietly. “Oh, darling… I can’t believe this. He didn’t seem like the sort to just…”

She couldn’t even make herself say the words, but Mari was already pulling away to dry her eyes and shake her head in defiance. “No - mother, please. Don’t be mad at him, it’s not… like that. He’s been _hurt_ before, and… I should’ve known… he wasn’t ready.”

If it had been anyone else, Leandra wouldn’t have listened to her daughter. She would’ve gotten mad, _stayed_ mad, and probably gone after them to yell about how angry she was at them for breaking her child’s heart. She'd done it before.

As it was, though… she hugged her daughter close, glanced over her shoulder toward the kitchen, where Orana was tidying up the pans she’d dirtied while making breakfast. “Orana, darling, could you make us some more tea? Please? Mari needs a bit of spoiling today.”

“Mother, please - I’m… _I’ll be fine._ ”

“Of course, Mistress. Messare Hawke, would you like any cookies? They’re not a very healthy breakfast, but…”

Mari laughed, probably because Orana was speaking in such a straight-faced, sincere manner. “Well, I’m not going to say no to that sort of offer. Cookies for breakfast? _Delightful._ Remind me to let broody elves break my heart more often.”

By midday, Hawke seemed to be back to her usual self - she even got dressed in her armor and grabbed her halberd-staff in the afternoon. “I’m going to go see if anyone needs the shit beaten out of them. Have a nice evening, mother!”

“There’s my girl,” Leandra sighed. Then, after a bit more deliberation, she went up to grab her own shawl and a gather up a small bread-and-cookie basket before heading outside.

She often visited the other noble’s estates, these days, to drink and chat with friends. There was, however, one estate almost everyone avoided and ignored as much as possible. That was the estate Leandra marched straight up to this evening, bracing herself before she knocked on the door.

When there was no response, she knocked again with a bit more force. And then she knocked _again._ And -

 _“Fenhedis,_ not tonight!” The voice from the other side of the door was loud, bristled, angry. But when it came again, it was quieter and sounded very sad and broken. “Let me be.”

“Is that really what you want?” Leandra asked, keeping her own voice level. For a few moments, Leandra worried she had pushed too far. Then the door opened, and she caught a glimpse of star-white hair hanging over glass-green eyes.

“I was not expecting _you,_ " he said, even quieter than before.

“I know. I didn’t think you would be. But… can I come in?” She asked, glancing around - it would be quite unfortunate if she were to be seen.

Fenris let out a loud sigh, but he did leave the door open as he made his way back into the manor - and Leandra had to contain a smile as she heard the distinct sound of glass being gathered up and swept aside. “ _Kaffas_ \- I…I was not expecting _anyone_ today...”

“It’s all right,” Leandra sighed, although it really wasn’t. 

She avoided touching the walls, most of which bore suspicious stains she _hoped_ were from wine. It was dusty and drafty and... musty, too. Most of the old furnishings looked torn up and water-damaged. Probably from the rain that was leaking in through the holes in the roof.

The sound of a chair being slid toward her brought Leandra’s attention back to Fenris, however. His face was still guarded, his arms crossed over his chest defensively - though his fingers occasionally tugged at a red strip of cloth wrapped around his right wrist. That was new.

“Did Hawke…?” 

His voice broke after just saying her _name,_ and whatever question he had was lost in the sudden silence that followed. What few traces of anger were left from that morning dissipated as Leandra looked at the young man sitting in front of her. _This_ was why Mari was always so delicate with him - something inside him was as fragile and broken as the glass that littered these halls.

Leandra delicately sat down on the seat that had been offered, smoothing out her skirts as she waited for him to speak again. The basket, still draped over her arm, soon found a place on the only clean table in the room, beside the pile of blankets, pillows, and mattress she assumed passed for his bed.

“Did _she_ send you here?”

“No,” Leandra sighed. “I came on my own - she doesn’t even know I’m here. She’d probably be very upset if she knew - but, of course, she’s very _upset_ regardless. I figured I couldn’t make things worse… especially not if she’s right about you.”

Fenris said nothing in response to that, but his eyes were fixed on Leandra’s face. There were dark circles all around them, and the way he kept absentmindedly pressing one hand to his temple made Leandra suspect he was at least mildly hungover. _So many bottles…_

Leandra closed her eyes and sighed. “I just wanted to check on you. She… cares about you, more than anyone else.”

“I know,” he said, voice still quiet and rough. “Trust me, it… is mutual. There’s nothing I want more than to be with her, but…” He sighed, waving his right hand in the air between them in an agitated gesture. “ _Fasta vass._ There are things I should have resolved first.”

 _I should have known he wasn’t ready._ That was what Mari had said that morning, and Leandra felt herself relax hearing Fenris say essentially the same thing. A little smile even made its way to her face as she realized how grown-up they were actually being about this.

Leandra had not reacted half as well to Malcolm leaving her all alone even though he had also had a good reason - though, to be fair, she’d also been two months pregnant at the time. She had not realized how spoiled she really was until she’d had to learn to deal with the results of her choices. At least Mari knew better than _she_ had.

“I understand. Just… promise me one thing?” Leandra asked, as she slowly stood up and dusted off her dress. “Take better care of yourself. This place… it’s not fit to live in.”

That finally earned a little smile from Fenris. “Perhaps not to for you, but I’ve lived in worse places. I do need to fix the tarps, however. They got messed up in the storms last night.”

“Well… alright. I’ll leave you to it, then.” She still had to contain a shudder as she glanced around one more time. She really would have to find ways to subtly hint to her child that this man needed help. But that could wait a day or two, at least.

She turned to face him one more time as she was leaving, taking note that he had not moved at all and was still watching her like a sad puppy. “I hope you feel better soon.”

He was quiet again for a long moment, his hand once again idly tugging on the red cloth tied around his arm. “Thank you.”

As she stepped back outside, Leandra smiled when she noticed the rain was letting up. She was certain the sky would be clear soon. As she passed a market stall near Viscount’s Way, she also found herself wondering if Fenris liked tea.

 _I’ll ask Mari to find out,_ she decided. _That boy needs to drink something besides wine. It isn’t good for his health._

**Author's Note:**

> My favorite part of this fic is how Leandra Hawke goes from wanting to yell at Fenris about leaving Hawke to being all motherly toward him as well. Really, though, he needs someone to tell him to clean his room. (Hawke is too messy to be that person. She just helps him make more messes.)
> 
> I like the idea that Fenris and Hawke both know Leandra approved of their relationship - especially Fenris.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
